ASCE 7-22 · WIND SPEED BY ZIP
Type a ZIP, get your basic wind speed V
The velocity finder returns the ultimate 3-second gust wind speed (V) for any US ZIP — no manual map reading, no interpolation.
Free to try · No signup needed for ZIP lookup
CYAN · WHAT THE NUMBER IS
One value, precisely defined
V is the ultimate 3-second gust at 33 ft in Exposure C. Everything else (height, terrain, topography) is applied afterward.
3-Second Gust
The fastest 3-second average wind speed — the peak gust a structure feels, not an hourly mean.
PEAK GUST33 ft Reference
Speeds are referenced at 33 ft (10 m) above ground. Other heights apply Kz / Kh later in the calc.
10 m DATUMExposure C Basis
Maps assume open terrain (Exposure C). Sites in B or D are corrected through the exposure coefficient, not the map.
OPEN TERRAINUltimate, Not Nominal
V is an ultimate (strength-level) wind speed. Convert toward ASD service-level loads downstream when required.
STRENGTH LEVELEMERALD · USING YOUR RESULT
How to read what the finder returns
Three quick checks turn the ZIP lookup into the V you carry into a wind load calculation.
1 · Confirm the location
The ZIP fixes your point on the map. Coastal and special wind regions can change sharply over short distances.
STEP ONE2 · Pick the risk category
Risk category selects which speed map you read — higher category, longer return period, higher V. No importance factor is applied.
STEP TWO3 · Carry V into the calc
Apply terrain, height, and topography to V to reach design pressures. The finder hands off straight into the calculator.
STEP THREENo importance factor in ASCE 7-16 / 7-22. The old wind Iw was eliminated. Risk category instead points you to a different basic wind speed map — a longer mean recurrence interval, not a fixed multiplier. Actual mph varies by site.
VIOLET · WHICH MAP YOU READ
Risk category selects the return-period map
Each category reads V from a map drawn for a different mean recurrence interval (MRI). Speeds differ by location, not by a single factor.
| Risk Category | MRI Map | Typical Occupancy | Relative V |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 300-year | Minor agricultural / storage, low hazard to life | Lowest |
| II | 700-year | Standard occupancy: homes, offices, retail | Standard |
| III | 1,700-year | Assembly, schools, substantial hazard | Higher |
| IV | 3,000-year | Essential: hospitals, fire/police, shelters | Highest |
CYAN · BEFORE YOU LOOK UP
What the finder needs from you
Three inputs frame every wind speed result. The ZIP handles location; you choose the other two for your project.
Location
Your ZIP (or address / GPS) pins the site on the wind speed map — the one input the tool resolves for you.
ZIP / GPSRisk Category
I through IV, set by occupancy and hazard to life. It chooses which MRI map your V is read from.
I – IVExposure
B, C, or D for your surrounding terrain. The map is Exposure C; your actual exposure is applied in the pressure calc.
B / C / DCYAN · SOURCES & TOOLS
Cross-check against the official maps
Use the ZIP finder for speed, then verify against ASCE's own hazard tool when a project demands the source of record.
CYAN · RELATED GUIDES
Go deeper on wind speed
Companion guides for the parameters behind your ZIP result.
ASCE 7-22 Wind Speed Maps
The MRI-based maps and what changed from ASCE 7-16.
MAPSWind Speed by Location
Find design wind speeds for a specific project site.
LOCATION3-Second Gust
What the 3-second gust parameter means in ASCE 7.
PARAMETERBasic Wind Speed (V)
A full guide to the basic wind speed parameter.
V EXPLAINEDRisk Category Guide
Assign I–IV and pick the right speed map.
RISK CATExposure Categories
Choose between Exposure B, C, and D for your terrain.
B / C / DEMERALD · NEXT STEP
From a ZIP to a stamped wind speed
Run the velocity finder, then continue into the full ASCE 7-22 wind load calculator — HVHZ and county overrides applied automatically.